


Spark

by Writingwife83



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, KonMari | Marie Kondo's Tidying Method, Post-Episode: s04e03 The Final Problem, Romance, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 01:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21549157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writingwife83/pseuds/Writingwife83
Summary: Sherlock has an unexpected reaction to Molly’s decision to clear out some of her older and unwanted clothes, and he find that tidying up has a way of making room for new beginnings.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper
Comments: 39
Kudos: 182





	Spark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Amalia Kensington (amaliak01)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaliak01/gifts).



> The ever bottomless pit of inspiration, known to us as Lexie, prompted me with this idea of Molly’s using Marie Kondo’s tidying method. I’m not an expert on the method myself, but I have a general understanding and just loved the scene that it brought to my mind. I think this got a touch more serious feelsy than my original intent for funny and cute lol. Hope you enjoy it, Lexie! And all the rest of you as well! ;)

Sherlock used his key, letting himself into Molly‘s flat as had become his almost daily habit lately. With the reconstruction going on at Baker St, he’d been spending the majority of his time there. It was of course the logical choice to accept Molly’s offer to give him and his remaining things a place to stay for the time being. After all, she always had the needed space. 

On that particular day, Sherlock was greeted by something rather unusual as he walked in the door- large bags of rubbish. Quickly discerning that these bags couldn’t be filled with literal rubbish, he took a little peek inside. The flash of vibrant yellow fabric near the top made his eyes go wide.

“Molly?” he called out while marching down the hallway to the door of her bedroom. “Molly, what’s-“

He stopped short, the question hovering on his lips being pretty quickly answered. 

There were clothes, shoes, and accessories absolutely everywhere. That is, everywhere except the closet and dresser where they would normally reside.

“Oh hi,” Molly chirped, looking a little ragged, standing there with her hands perched on her hips. “I thought this whole thing might only take a couple of hours but I suppose I underestimated just how much stuff I really have!”

Sherlock pointed in the direction he’d just come. “Surely those bags by the door aren’t being thrown out.”

“Well, no,” she explained, holding up one scarf after another. “But they are going to charity. It’s certainly not all staying here. It can’t!”

He looked around at everything, feeling a strange discomfort at this scene.

“Why would you get rid of this jumper?” Sherlock asked, holding one up from the top of an obvious reject pile. “And there’s a dress in one of the bags out there that you must have included by accident.”

Molly looked up at him from where he sat on the floor and gave him a casual shrug. “They didn’t spark joy.”

He grimaced. “Spark joy? What does that even mean?”

“Meena told me about it. It’s a simple way to choose what you keep and what goes,” she said, continuing to hold items up and throw them to one side of her or the other. “I haven’t watched the show or read the book on the whole method, but she gave me enough to get started. I really couldn’t put it off any longer.”

Sherlock did a quick turn, surveying everything again.

“You’re really saying that so many of these things don’t  _ spark joy?” _ he asked incredulously. 

She looked up at him, more seriously, picking up on the frustration but quite obviously confused by it.

“Sherlock, why do you care?” Molly questioned with a little laugh. “It’s not like you’re wearing them.”

Instead of answering, he plucked a blue and white striped blouse from the pile. 

“Ok, what about this one?”

“I haven’t worn that in forever.”

“Yes, but you used to.”

“I know, so at least it got plenty of wear. And now I was able to decide that it just doesn’t spark-“

“Well maybe it sparks joy for  _ other people _ !”

The little bedroom went silent and still as it dawned on Sherlock that he’d just said that aloud. And rather forcefully. 

Sherlock cleared his throat and spoke again as Molly stood, keeping her eyes fixed on his.

“Forgive me, I- I don’t always do well with change,” he said more softly. “And these things- your things- they’re...what I know. I remember every one of them. I knew why you would tend to wear each one, even if it was unconscious to you. This shirt, the blue and white striped one, you were wearing it the day Mike Stamford introduced us. Did you know that?”

She smiled as he went on.

“What I’m saying is that the memories associated with some of these things are still important to me. It’s difficult to see them just...tossed aside.”

Molly hesitated a moment before giving him another little smile and stepping over to her closet. “I want to show you something.”

She swung open the closet door. 

Before his eyes was the interior of a nearly bare closet. What little was there, hanging up and arranged neatly...were his things. There were his suits and shirts and dressing gown that had survived the blast. His pajama bottoms and tee shirts, all folded up on one of the little shelves. And there were his shoes, all in a row on the floor.

“I know you told me they were fine where they were, but I hated to see your nice suits and things squeezed onto the rack in my coat closet. And I know it isn’t forever, but it could certainly be some more weeks of work on your flat. I just…” Molly paused, staring into the closet. “I wanted your things to have a place. Not shoved somewhere because they have to be, but really given a proper place. Even when this is back to being just a bolt hole for you.”

He swallowed hard. Had this ever really been  _ just a bolt hole _ ?

“It definitely makes me smile to think that some of my clothes and things are associated with happy memories for you. But don’t forget that I could say the same to you.” Molly gestured to his small array of clothing. “These are things that most definitely spark joy.”

Sherlock stared down at her as she spoke, feeling truly at a loss for words.

“A-and besides,” she continued, tucking some hair behind her ear with a nervous laugh. “I really did have such a lot of rubbish! Things with little stains, things that don’t fit well anymore, multiples of the same thing. Gosh, I can’t tell you have many pairs of tan trousers I found when I really only need-“

She stopped short instantly when he laced his fingers with hers where their hands hung between them. In truth, he was almost as caught off guard as she was. 

“Sherlock?”

The simply whispered question of his name spoke volumes, or rather,  _ asked _ volumes. He’d be lying if he claimed to have all the answers she was seeking, but it was about time he tried to give her something. Something beyond the precious little they’d addressed after Sherrinford. 

“Given the criteria for what stays and what goes,” Sherlock said softly, “I thought I should be clear about...what I’d like to keep.”

The way Molly smiled up at him, with a tiny quiver in her chin while squeezing his hand a little tighter, made his heart feel ready to burst out of his chest. 

One more breath of courage, and he leaned down.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, always love to hear your thoughts! :D


End file.
